Standard



Dec. 14, 1926.

A. c. HOPKINS REENFORCING ELEMENT FOR PNEUMATIC TIRE BEADS v Filed August 3' 1925 i A Patented" ecyl'4, Y19.26.'

ARTHUR c. HOPKINS, ion-*Ninna ivrioiirenjiirJ a "COMPANY, or NILES, M IAGHIGAN.

Assrenon 'ro NATION REENFoRcINenLEMENT"ron':PNEUMATCLTIRE lnnns'. y

adaptedV to receive the bondingmaterial and in use has little tendency to lplaceundue stresses thereon. l Y Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

' I accomplish the objects `of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in theclaims. .A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accom-v panying drawing forming a vpart of this application,-in` which :v p

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through al tire including beads embodying my improved reenforcingv elements,

Fig. 2 is .a fragmentary Aperspective of a ytire bead embodying the features of myinvention, Y v i Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vview of my Vimproved tire bead reenforcing element, ,Y

Fig.' 4 is a cross-section on a linev correspending to'line l--Llof Fig. 3,

Y Fig. "5 is a Across-section onva line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 3, n

Fig. 6 is .a cross-'section on a line correspending to line 6-6 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on a line corresponding to li11e177 of Fig. 3.

In the drawingjthe sectional Views are taken looking in thev direction of the'little arrows at the ends of the sectionv lines and similar numerals of reference indicate simi. lar parts in all'of'the views.

In Fig. l the tire casing v1 is shown con xventionally and is provided with beadsr 2. The beads 2 are formed of `a suitable rubber 4composition and have my improved reen-V forcing element, designated generally bythe f) numeral 3, incorporatedy or embedded therein.v This reenforclng element 1s formed into a coil of the desired number of being illustrated.

'The reenforcingelement comprises aplu-V wraps, three sata2-0i; begannen sanas disputar i parallel,l these; strandsbeing straiglitstrands, Y

that is, they are not Ybent or lrinked. The strands Vare bound together and maintained. 'in proper relation by means of the bonding Vstrands 5 which are preferably` formed of an STANDARD lighterl and soft ,relatively bendable wire.l

These bonding `strands are for convenience illustrated in full black lin the drawings. vThe bonding strandsf are spirally wrapped aroundk adjacent pairs of the ,longitudinal strands, the/bends at6 between thelongitudin'al strands and reaches 7 substantially y coinciding. The bonding and longtiudinal strands also liein contactatthepoints 6 so that the longitudinal strands are held uniformly 'spaced and Vcannot collapse together.

As the longitudinal strands are substantially' straight, their full tensile strength Viscapable of being utilized and the element vis nonstretchable. l

. Relatively light bonding wires may be used and these conform to the longitudinal strands and there is no tendency'for the elec ment to bead, `that is, for Vthe edge longitudinal strands to roll up whenf under stress or in placingV thel element. Further, there .are noV relatively sharp projections as is oc.

casionedby weaving a bonding strand back Y v,and forth between longitudinal strands.

`I have shown'mylimproved reenforcing elementl as comprised of four longitudinal strands and threey bondingstrands but it will be `understood. that the `number of strands may be varied'tomeet requirements.

Having thus describedmy inventionA what I claim as new and desireto secure by Le# ters Patent is: e

l. A tire bead reenforcing element com-Ml prising a plurality of-y longitudinal straightV parallel wire strands and a plurality of bonding wire 'strands successively looped aroundI adjacent pairs of the longitudinal Y strands `with coinciding loops, thereaches of the loops being of substantial lengthand be-V prising a plurality of 'longitudinal parallel wire strands, and a plurality of bonding wire s trandsspirally wrapped around adja-l 2. A l' tire Abead vre'enforcing element com-1 cent pairs of longitudinal strands with coloops of the bonding strands and the longitudinal strands are uniformly and successively bonded together. f I

tvA 4tire bead reenforcing elenient comprising a plurality of relatively straight longitudinal Wire strands, and a plurality of bonding strands of Wire spirally Wrapped around adjacent longitudinalstrands with coinciding bends and reaches, the longitudinal and bonding strands being inv contact/"at the bends of the bonding strands.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. Y 1 a ARTHUR C. HOPKINS. 

